Tag Archives: 2 Kings

The just shall live by faith

Posted on September 14, 2015 by | Comments Off on The just shall live by faith

bible_and_candle_krx5 In the book of Hosea there’s a verse that reads, Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein (Hosea 14:9). As I was doing my personal Bible reading and study on Friday, there was a phrase that caught my eye, “and the just shall walk in them.” I immediately thought of the verse that the Holy Spirit laid upon the heart of Paul as he wrote, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17).

The Bible speaks of being just and sets the standards

I decided to do a key phrase search of the Bible using “just shall” as a starting point. What amazed me is that there are seven verses with that exact phrase; three of them are found in the New Testament. Of all the verses where this phrase is used really stands out: Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him (Hebrews 10:38). This is one of the first standards we must have when it comes to our faith in Jesus. Even Jesus warns us of splitting our loyalties: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). There have been times in my own life that I’ve tried to serve the Lord while at the same time trying to appease the world. Instead of fully understanding or even attempting to understand what the Lord would have me do, I didn’t realize God had placed a higher standard on me than even my employer had: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (Colossians 3:23). When we simply accept, by faith, that everything we do, whether it be for our children, our spouse, or even our employer, we should have the attitude that we are doing it for the Lord. It then becomes clear that “good enough for government work” simply doesn’t measure up to the standard of the just shall live by faith (Hebrews 10:38a).

Paul, in explaining the purpose of faith in Jesus, wrote, But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith (Galatians 3:11). Paul is explaining the meaning of a verse written by the prophet Habakkuk: Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4). What the Old Testament prophet is telling us is the very same thing John the Baptist was trying to teach those who listened to him: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36). Our faith comes in believing on the Lord Jesus Christ; this is what the verse in Habakkuk means – our souls are lifted up by nothing that we do of ourselves. It does not come from inside us but comes from the Lord. Because of this, the just – those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior – the Lord lifts up our souls. We are no longer weighted down by the wages of sin.

So, the three standards that seemed to be the most obvious to me are: 1) Once we become a born-again believer, we are to forsake any standard but the ones set by the Lord. 2) We must accept that anything we do we are doing it for the Lord. Anything else would be like having two masters. 3). Realize that our faith and our walk are to be a product of what Jesus has done for us through the gift of salvation. When we adopt these three scripturally based standards, we become liberated from the constraints of the world: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36). We become the servant of only one master, performing all of our responsibilities to one set of standards, and are able to keep a clear conscience as we live from day-to-day.

And the just shall walk in them…

The verse I shared at the beginning of this entry, Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein (Hosea 14:9), has another standard that we often miss in our day. Hosea essentially asks the reader questions about who is wise and will understand – and then provides the answer. He tells us that those who are just will not only understand the teachings of the Lord, but will also understand they are right and will do what has been taught. Jesus taught this very concept during His earthly ministry: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46). It doesn’t do any good to call ourselves Christians if we are unwilling to live by the principles and standards that Jesus sets before us. What I take from this verse is that if I am going to call myself a follower and disciple of Jesus then I must be willing to live according to His plan.

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Doing the most with what you have

Posted on August 4, 2015 by

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Frugality was once considered a virtue in our country. Like the Amish in this picture, most people had learned the skill of doing the most with what they had on hand. Hand-me-downs were not seen as something to be ashamed … Continue reading →

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The four snows of scripture

Posted on November 17, 2014 by | Comments Off on The four snows of scripture

2013 Winter - along the Ohio River in Henderson, KYBefore anyone gets too excited, this picture is from last winter (February 2014) where the town I live in experienced one of the snowiest winters on record. This past Friday (November 14th), we saw the first snow flurries of the season and for those who like snow, it puts a certain excitement in the air. Ever since my first winter in Germany in 1994, I have always loved watching snow fall. The cold, crisp smell of snow in the air, the reflection of the light as the snow falls at night are not only comforting but relaxing as well.  Within the Bible there are various snows that are mentioned that I always think of as I watch the snowfall. To me, just as the rainbow is a reminder of God’s promise never to judge the sinfulness of man by flood again, snow also is a reminder of God’s goodness and grace towards man.

The purity of snow shows the sinful nature of our own self-righteousness

Within the book of Job, as he is beginning to question all that he believes about the Lord, he states: If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;  Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment (Job 9:30-32).  Snow water is often considered one of the cleanest forms of water. Back when I was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, I loved going to the Cascade Mountains along the trails and loved doing the hiking trips of Mount Rainier. At one station, you could take a cup and catch meltwater from the glacier and drink it. It is a clean taste that has the ability to quench any physical thirst; and if you let the cold water run over your hands, there’s something about the way your hands feel afterwards – as if they are more clean than they have ever been.  Job is saying that even if he were to wash his hands in the purest of water, his hands would still not be clean enough for the Lord. This is just what Isaiah said when he wrote, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6). It is of the similar mindset when the apostle Paul wrote, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). No matter what we try to do on our own, our sense of purity and righteousness is contaminated by the flesh. Think of the physical contrast between a yard when snow begins to fall – the snow in all its white purity seems to bring out the darkness, the filth, and the decay on the ground around it.

Snow as a picture of judgment against sin and rebellion

There are a few places in scripture where the phrase “white as snow” is used when referring to the results of God’s judgment. The first time this phrase occurs is the results of a brief rebellion led my Miriam, the sister of Moses. Not only was she questioning Moses’ position of leadership and his marriage to an Ethiopian woman: And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it (Numbers 12:1-2). As she challenged Moses authority, the Lord interceded for him: And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous (Numbers 12:5-10).

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